Process of treating hides.



No. 810,144. PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

F. B. HINKSON. PROCESS OF TREATING HIDES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 27, 1904 f 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. /0 2)" 22 /2 50 A5 6 9242 /d /,7 5

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APPLICATION FILED DEG.27,1904.

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than is possible with the processes UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK B. HINKSON,

TWO-THIRDS TO JAMES J. FLANNERY,

OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF TREATING HIDES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed December 27, 1904:. Serial No. 238,354

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK B. HINKsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newcastle, in the county of Lawrence and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Processes for Treating Hides, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to processes of electrolytically treating hides.

The principal objects of the invention are to improve and simplify existing processes of this character; furthermore, to increase their efficiency in practice.

Heretofore in electrolytically treating hides it has been customary to suspend them in a suitable electrolytic unhairing solution and to subject them to the action of said solution and a current of electricity passing therethrough.

According to the process of the present invention the electric current is caused to pass transversely through the hides, and the direction of said current is reversed at suitable intervals, so that both sides of each hide will be subjected to the same amount of electrolytic treatment.

Vhile the foregoing statement contains the essential features of the improved process, a detailed description of one specific method of carrying the same into practice will be given in order to convey a clear understanding thereof. The hides are submerged in a suitable unhairing' solution. .While many different solutions may be employed for this purpose, it is found in practice that a mixture of lime and water is effective. Each of the hides in the unhairing solution is suspended between a pair of electrodes, which may be composed of any suitable material, and the electric current is permitted to pass transversely through each hide. The direction of the electric current is reversed at suitable intervals, so that both sides of each hide will receive the same amount of treatment. It has been found by practice in carrying out the improved process of this invention that by causing the electric current to impinge directly upon each hide and by reversing the current at suitable intervals the pores of the hide are more quickly softened and opened, and the hair thereof is more easily removed in which the electric current is passed in but one direction through the unhairing solution.

After the hides have been subjected to the 5 5 action of the unhairing solution and electric current for a sufficient period of time the unhairing solution is withdrawn from the tank in which the hides are placed, and any well known or suitable tanning solution is 6o placed in said tank, after which the electric current is a ain caused to pass transversely through eac of the hides, the direction of said current being reversed at suitable intervals, as heretofore ject both sides'of the hide to the same amount of treatment. By passing the electric current transversely through the hides while they are submerged in the tanning solution and by reversing is found in practice that the fatty matter contained in the pores of the skin is effectively attacked and destroyed and an excellent quality of leather is quickly produced.

While any convenient form of apparatus may be employed for causing an electric current to pass transversely through a hide and for reversing the direction thereof at suitable intervals, one suitable and effective form of apparatus sults is illustrated in the accom anying drawings, forming part of this speci' ication, in which-- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the improved apparatus used in carrying the process of this invention into practice. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevation. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan View of a convenient form of mechanism for reversing the direction of the electric current at suitable intervals, the tank containing the unhairing or tanning solution being shown in section. Fig. 6 is a vertical section. through in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a suit able contacting wheel.

In describing the apparatus illustrated in the drawings like characters of reference are employed to designate corresponding parts I00 in the several views.

The reference-numerals 1 indicate suitable legs on which is supported a tank 2, having a removable cover 3. Disposed within the described, in order to sub- 65 the current as described it 70 for accomplishing the above re 80 the mechanism illustrated tank 2 are lon itudinally extending bars 4, which preferafiy are secured in any suitable manner to the side walls of the tank. The longitudinal bars 4 serve to support a plurality of transversely-extending bars 5, which are arranged at suitable intervals, as shown in Fig. 4, and are adapted to support hides, such as 6, said hides preferably being folded over the bars with the hair side out, although, if desired, the hides maybe hung with the hair side in.

' Attached to the ends of the tank 2 are brackets, such as 7, by whichare supported longitudinall -extending rods 8 and 9, said rods being suitably insulated from the brackets 7. The rod 8 is provided with a plurality of collars 10 11 12, from which depend rods 13 14 15, which extend through suitable insulating-bushings 16 and serve to support electrodes 17 18 19. The rod 9 is provided with a plurality of similar collars 20 21 22, from which depend rods 23 24 25, which pass through suitable insulating-bushings, such as 16, and serve to support electrodes 26 27 28. Each of the rods 8 and 9-is provided on one of its ends with a brush-casing, such as 30, which is held in place by means of a setscrew31 and is formed with a bore adapted to receive a coil-spring 32, acting against a brush 33, which rests a ainst a wheel 34, formed of suitable non-con ucting material. The nonconducting wheel 34 is provided on its periphery with a plurality of segmental contactplates 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40. The seg mental contact-plates 35, 37, and 39 are connected, by means of conducting strips or wires 41, with a contact-sleeve 42, which is mounted upon one end of the hub of the wheel 34, and the segmental contact-plates 36, 38, and 40 are connected by similar conducting strips or wires 43 with a contact sleeve 44, mounted uponthe other end of the hub of the wheel 34. The wheel 34 is mounted rigidly upon a shaft 45, which is journaled' in a bracket 46, connected with the end of the tank2, said shaft 45 being rotated by means of a belt-wheel or similar device 47, to which rotation may be imparted in any suitable manner. Pivotally mounted upon arms 48 49, connected with the bracket 46, is a pair of brushes 50 51, which contact, respectively,- with the sleeves 42 and 44. The brushes 50 and 51 are electrically connected With wires 52 53, which are connected with any suitable form of battery or generating device. (Not shown.) The function of the mechanism last described is to reverse the direction of the electric currents passing between the several electrodes connected in the tank 2. As the wheel 47 is rotated in any suitable manner one of the brushes 33 will contact with one of the segmental plates of the wheel 34 at the same time that the other brush 33 is in contact'with another of the segmental contacting plates. As the wheel 47 rotates the direction of the electric current passing through the rods 8 and 9 and through the electrodes in the tank will be reversed. It will be understood from the foregoing de scription that the several electrodes in the tank are connected in multiple arc.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that one or more of the hides in the tank 2 are arranged between each set of electrodes, and by reason of the fact that the electrodes are parallel with the hides the electric currents will be caused to pass transversely therethrough. Furthermore, by reason of the fact that the direction of the electric current is reversed at suitable intervals and the positive electrode is consequently shifted from one side of each hide to the other both sides of each hide are subjected to the same amount of treatment.

It is found in practice that hides treated in accordance with the process of the present invention are possessed of superior qualities as to durability, pliability, and appearance.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is A process of treating hides which consists in suspending a plurality of hides between a plurality of electrodes in such manner that each hide is disposed between one pair of electrodes, passing an electric current transversely through each hide, and reversing the direction of the current at suitable intervals.

In testimony whereof I afE my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK B. HINKSON. 

